Filipino Hungry Ghost Month

The Hungry Ghost Month traditionally refers to a month-long observation of Asian belief that dead relatives, wandering souls or vengeful spirits roam the earth. To appease them, people offer food, prayers and observe caution in business and finances. If most Chinese communities observe the Hungry Ghost Month, Filipinos in turn should observe the same during every election month.

Why not? If you think about it, every time there is a local or national election, all sorts of characters spring out of nowhere to woo Filipinos to vote for them. The current barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections are the perfect example of ghosts that are wandering about from street-to-street, campaigning.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t know or recognize 95 percent of the candidates running for office in our barangay elections. Until last week, I was not aware that most of them existed or were politically active or involved in barangay affairs. It is uncanny that the elections will take place on Oct. 30 and will be followed by All Saints Day and All Souls Day on Nov. 1 and 2. Maybe after they get elected or lose, they will all rest until the next election.

While I jest about the matter, the harsh reality is that for the next two years until another election rolls around, many Filipinos will be the victims of politically and financially hungry ghosts, a.k.a local officials who will want to recover and profit from their initial outlay for the barangay and SK elections of 2023.

But how on earth did we come to this?

Barangay elections have historically been about serving the community you live in. Getting residents involved and using this Marcos-era machination to tap into government funds to improve the living conditions in every barangay. How did it turn into a money-making venture of misfits who are desperate enough to kill, maim or dishonor thy neighbor just to get into power?

It used to be that the most people could do with their power as barangay officials was to provide employment for their kin, bata-bata or neighbor. You ran for barangay position as a continuation of your now retired career as a professional, or to further your advocacy. But now, barangay affairs is all about business, revenues, political horse trading or plain ego.

Even worse is that partisan politics, political dynasties and bloodshed has become the norm among neighbors. It is time that we all take a long, hard look at the barangay system, move for the reduction of financial and commercial functions that attract and develop corruption at the barangay level.

Too much money is spent on building barangay structures that are over built, white elephants that benefit builders and contractors and corrupt officials, millions of pesos spent on vehicles that are used by barangay officials as their “personal vehicles” and then dumped or junked every time a new set of officials comes into power, but not enough on primary medical services, support for elderly, minors, peace and order, road maintenance, etc. It is time to exorcise our Hungry Ghosts and stop acting like zombies before them!

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Readers and friends alike were surprised to learn that there is still the semblance of a steel industry in the Philippines and about how Steel Asia has invested and stays committed to expanding its operations nationwide. One reader even sent an email to inquire further:

“However much as my hat is off to Steel Asia and its moving spirit Ben Yao, you mentioned only their production of steel bars. Aren’t they yet involved in that necessary production of steel sheet, one of the most vital parts in car, truck, appliance, etc. manufacturing?

“Likewise, if I may also pray for, are there attempts, plans or future inclinations from moneyed minds to go into the local processing of our abundant ores such as nickel, copper, gold, iron, etc. instead of exporting them as cheap raw materials to highly developed markets?”

Yes, Steel Asia is presently producing large volumes of rebar or round bars that become the backbone of buildings and industries. But as plans proceed, the company’s plants in Lemery, Batangas and Candelaria, Quezon will be producing wide flange beams, sheet piles, angel bars, channels, flat bar and T-bar. When completed and operational, the proposed plant in Concepcion, Tarlac will be the first wire rod mill in the country to produce wire steel that is needed in the production of steel chains, nuts and bolts, coil springs, stranded steel cables, GI wire, nails, even staples and rivets.

With much needed government support and legislative assistance, Steel Asia and future players can end the 100 percent importation of roofing materials, sheet piles, rails and wire rods, steel plates, hot and cold rolled sheets and galvanized sheets and tin plates. This creates dollar savings, jobs, local government revenues and, most importantly, the same economic boom that our Asian neighbors experienced when their respective steel industries successfully took off.

The irony is that while some Asian neighbors have banned the sale and export of scrap metal, the Philippines has not. Our scrap metal that is vital for the production of steel is being exported to Japan, Vietnam, etc. Many Filipino technical experts have been recruited by Vietnam and now we buy most of our roofing material, angel bars, I-beams etc. from Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, etc.

Meanwhile, investors in the local steel industry do not get incentives, tax breaks, no priority assistance for installation of power, water or government ports needed for shipping in raw materials and shipping out finished products. If we are going to develop backbone for different industries, we need to help companies like Steel Asia in building their plants all over the country.

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